Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational HWT Preview (12/3-4/2021)

 

With Michigan and Minnesota both participating in this year's CKLV, I imagine I wasn't the only wrestling fan that was looking forward to #1 Gable Steveson Vs #2 Mason Parris. Here I thought one of the most anticipated matches of the season was going to happen before the year turned 2022, but it looks like we're going to have to wait. Neither look to be in the tournament.  Shame, as both have been CKLV titlist in the past.  Don't be too disappointed though, because HWT is still going to feature some great wrestling.  

Altogether we're looking at 9 ranked wrestlers, with two in the top 10. Two, two time place-winners, one a former CKLV runner-up both enter this bracket. 

What makes this such a fun weight class is that not only have a lot of these guys faced each other in the past, but many of them have have both lost and won to one another.  The favorite here is Ohio State's Tate Orndorff who has finishes of 2nd & 3rd, with Brian Andrews of Wyoming who has finishes of 7th & 8th being the favorite to meet him in the finals. Thus far Orndorff and Andrews have met five times in their careers, with Orndorff leading the series 4-1.  

The finals could as easily be Christian Lance of Nebraska Vs A.J Nevills of South Dakota State however.  Lance has proven that he can beat both Orndorff and Andrews as he owns a 3-2 victory over the Buckeye and a 4:35 fall over the Cowboy.  Nevills himself has defeated Orndorff 5-1 and he owns a 4-2 victory over Andrews. 

Yaraslau Slavilouski of Harvard of course is another candidate for the CKLV title & what a treat that would be for the Crimson who are in the slow but steady process of revamping their once respectable program.  If we're going to include Slavilouski in the discussion for plausible CKLV champion, then we have to also consider Cornell's Lewis Fernandes who owns a 5:22 win via fall over his fellow Ivy League opponent.   Seeing that Cornell's Brendan Furman hasn't competed in two seasons, I don't think we'll see him here, but one would have to think that if he does show up, he'll be a legitimate threat. 

Despite not having a great track record against the competition within the bracket, I do feel that The Citadel's Michael McAleavey deserves more respect than what he has received.  It'd be a tall order, but I don't think a top 8 finish is out of the question for him and I think a top 12 finish is definitely doable. 

I know that Princeton's Jack DelGarbino feels disrespected as everyone is calling his upset via fall over Iowa's Tony Cassioppi a major fluke.  If you're going to silence your critics, CKLV would be a place to do it.  Plenty of opportunity here to prove yourself. 

Northwestern's Lucas Davis has already proven himself with some impressive victories including that of Josh Heindselman of Oklahoma.  Yet the jury is still deliberating at the moment as to how good he'll be at HWT since moving up from 197.  The verdict will come out after this weekend.  

Lastly I'll say that Gary Traub of Oregon State could use a good showing. He has been ranked in the past, but for right now has slipped off the radar.  A good performance at CKLV & he'll soon enough be remembered. 

And there you have it!  With HWT now out of the way, that is JT#1's CKLV preview!  Wrestling begins tomorrow morning & what a fantastic tournament it'll be! 

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